That Other World
by Jade Daniels
Summary: The daughter of one of the Digidestined visits her mother.


**Author's Notes: **_All standard disclaimers apply. Honestly, I have no idea just where this fic popped up. All I know is that these words were just demanding to be typed. This is set far in the future, approximately sixty or seventy years. _

**That Other World**

**By: Jade Daniels**

"I'm glad that you came." The doctor's agitation was plain on his face. Worry lines were prominent on his skin as her nervously adjusted his glasses. He obviously didn't know what to say. With a quick gesture, he led me down the long hallway. 

We passed by many other rooms, some empty, some not. The ones with occupants mostly showed people either lying still in their beds, or rocking back and forth in their chairs. Occasionally, there were the few that would stare out at their windows, oblivious to all that was around them. The entire place smelled of medicines, although it was not as bad as a hospital. There was a trace smell of food wafting from the kitchens, reminding me of just how long ago I had eaten. I'd have to remember to pick up something after I left. 

Her room was coming up now. I slowed my stride, delaying the time that I would actually reach it. Every time that I had been here before, it....... Honestly, it had disturbed me. I could see why the doctor was always worried about her. To be summoned again so abruptly, I knew that she must have slipped into that other world again. I was the only one who could ever bring her back into reality. I could only hope that I could so again. 

We entered the silent, cold room. It was made to look welcoming, but the effect only turned people away. Like many f the others here, I saw her sitting in a chair facing the window. She looked clean, and well-fed, but that's where anything positive about her stopped. Her eyes were vacant, and it was that glassy look that scared me. I'm not sure if she would recognize me this time. She didn't even respond when we entered the room; there was no movement at all. 

"Mother?" I whispered, kneeling down beside her. I cradled her hands in mine, but again, received no response. 

"She's been slipping away from us much more lately, talking much more about that other world," the doctor said quietly, "She keeps mumbling about something called Digimon. She also has mentioned about needing to visit someone, or something called Gatomon." 

I looked at him, then back at my mother, feeling like I could cry. My mother had mentioned this other world many times before; I had heard about it since I was a kid. Only then, she had talked about this world in the form of bedtime stories. She always managed to keep my siblings and I fascinated with them. The stories were all about her and her old friends traveling in this place called the Digiworld. There were these little animals there too, those were what she had called the Digimon. Her best friend was this cat-like thing called 'Gatomon'. All her adventures had always sounded so exciting. 

But now, that world had taken over her mother's mind. This world - her reality - was crumbling around her. More and more, each time I visited, I could see her slipping away further from me, from the rest of her family. I think I'm the only one who ever comes to visit her anymore, other than my two uncles. My brothers and sister - they've long since give up on her. My father had been dead for many years now. It was his death that started Mother's slide into that other world. 

"Mom?" I tried again. 

"Miyako?" my mother murmured, blank eyes gazing at me, but not really seeing me. 

I shook my head, "No mom, I'm Sora." I was named after an old friend of my mother's, one who had frequently starred in her mother's bedtime stories. Sora Takenouchi was now a retired tennis player, but still well remembered amongst her peers. She had never ended up having any children of her own, and had been very glad to have a namesake. I remember her and Aunt Mimi visiting often, especially after Father died. 

"Sora?" my mom asked, "But, where's Biyomon?" 

I had no idea just what a Biyomon was, and I tried to tell that to my mother. She just kept insisting that Biyomon should be here beside me. Apparently she, (Biyomon being a female) was going to miss me if I wasn't around. I closed my eyes against the tears that threatened to fall down my face. Now was not the time to cry. I had to retrieve my mother from whatever world she had put herself into. 

"Mom!" I said, "I'm Sora Takashi, your daughter!! You are Hikari Takshi! You are the mother of four children, Daichi, Kasumi, Ken, and me........." I whispered the last few words, laying my hands upon my mother's shoulders. 

My mother blinked, her eyes slowly losing their glazed look. She titled her head, looking down at me, "S.....Sori?" 

I nodded, recognizing the nickname my parents had always used for me. I was so glad to see her finally come to her senses. "Yes, it's me." 

"Sori," she whispered again, brushing a withered hand against my cheek, "It's been so long....." 

"I know mother...... I know," I replied softly, knowing that I had waited too long to visit my mother again. There weren't any excuses; I could have made the time had I wanted to. Sometimes though, it was too hard to see my mother like this, slipping away into that other world. The struggle to bring her back seemed longer and harder each time she came to visit. One of these days........ I knew that one of these days, I might not be able to bring my mother back. 

My mother and I talked for a little while longer. I didn't tell her about the trip to the other world; I never told her about them. If my mom knew about them, she never let on. I did wonder why she continuously sought out that other world. Had this reality become so harsh that she needed that kind of escape? I wish I could understand it. Maybe, with an understanding of it, I would hate it so much for taking my mother away. 

* * * 

"And, with the power of all of their Digimon, the Digidestined finally defeated the evil Apocalypsmon. All the sorrow and evil his presence created in the Digiworld was released. The Digimon that were gone were to be reborn in Primary Village. Their mission finished, the Digiestined had to go home. The portal that had brought them into the Digiworld was going to close, and they didn't have long before they had to go through. So, after a very sad goodbye to their Digimon friends, the Digidestined flew through the portal, and came home." 

It had been a long time since I had even thought of those old stories, the ones that my mother had told. Tonight though, it seemed an appropriate bedtime story for my two daughters. They were enraptured with the tale, hanging onto every word I spoke. The adventures of the Digiworld had always fascinated them. I guess they held the same interest to them as they had for me when I was young. 

"Did they ever go back to the Digiworld?" asked my ten year old daughter. 

I smiled, looking at her, "That's a story for another night." 

My other daughter pouted, "Aww Mom!! Can't you tell us?" 

"It's time for you two to go to bed," I said. "I promise to tell you the next story tomorrow night." I looked over at their computer, which they had left on. "And be sure to turn off that computer, I don't want you to be playing on it all night." 

They nodded grudgingly, "Alright mom." 

With a smile, I left their room, closing the door gently behind me. 

* * * 

The two sisters looked at each other, then at the closed door. Simultaneously, they pulled out small devices that had been clipped onto their belts. On the screen built into the computerized device, a small message was displayed: 

"We're needed in the Digital World." 

**The End............ Or A New Beginning?**


End file.
